Clinton promises VA reform, trashes Trump in VFW speech

[TomCADem]

Source: Military Times

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton offered a scathing rebuke of her Republican rival in a speech before the Veterans of Foreign Wars annual convention on Monday, calling his policies dangerous and his outlook poisonous.

“If we retreat on security or the economy behind an imaginary wall, we will have lost our leadership, our purpose, our chance to prevail in the 21st century,” Clinton told the crowd of veteran leaders, without ever mentioning Donald Trump’s name. “If America doesn’t lead, we will leave behind a vacuum.”

Trump will have his chance for a rebuttal at the VFW convention Tuesday morning. VA Secretary Bob McDonald, who has been a frequent target of Trump, is also scheduled to speak just before the Republican nominee.

Clinton's VFW speech in Charlotte, North Carolina, delivered as the Democratic national convention opened about 500 miles north in Philadelphia, touched on Clinton’s previously outlined plans for reforming the Department of Veterans Affairs. She promised to reduce wait times for medical care, improve coordination between military and VA health care coverage, boost programs for female veterans and to “end the epidemic of veteran suicide.”

Read more: http://www.militarytimes.com/story/veterans/2016/07/25/vfw-convention-clinton-speech/87531270/

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Now, will there actually be any coverage of the issues or proposals that will be discussed during the DNC or just highlights of the drama?

[bluestateguy]

1. So they didn't turn their backs like they did to John Kerry in 2004?

nt

[runaway hero]

9. I'm saying...

These guys always vote repub

[midnight]

2. Please allow the veteran to choose his doctor and treatment plan.

How many times does a veteran have to be treated like an experment project… Recently I became aware that our medical treatment could consists of experimental treatment if it was in the best interest of others. Or some such rhetoric. Maybe some one is familar with the law… Please post if you want….

I should say that all the drama is in the empty flag waving and nightmarish backlogs of vets trying to be treated like we would want our family members to be treated…

[madamvlb]

4. I'm retired from US Army...

I choose to use the VA. I can go to any doctor with Tricare but choose to use the VA. I get great quality care in wonderful facilities. If the VA doesn't have the doctor or service I need they bend over backwards for me.

[midnight]

5. Glad your experiencing the awesome health care you deserve.

Some of our brothers and sisters who are in need of this care aren't.

[madamvlb]

6. You know I could go on about this for hours....

Maybe if Bernie wasn't coming on I would. So let me leave you with this....

A vet, let's say a vet who served 2 years, hurt his ankle in the service. This vet now gets ALL of his medical care for free from the VA. This vet now knows that if they makes an appointment for there ankle they will get paid for driving time to the VA round trip rate. This vet now makes an appointment once a month for a regular doctor appointment and try's to get physical therapy as many times as possible during the month. Some vets get hundreds of dollars a month in travel pay to go the doctor.

The VA is being abused and no politican will touch it. I've seen so much waste and abuse it disgusting. The longest line in the VA is the travel pay line.

[Stryst]

8. Yeah?

My experience is different. Because of getting screwed around by Air Force doctors for four years, I only qualified for the deafness in my right ear. The VA doesn't pay for ANYTHING for me. SSI is my primary source of income, and if not for medicare I wouldn't get ANY of the medicines for my neurological issues. Maybe some are abusing it, but some of us can't get ANY help from them.

[Sgent]

10. It REALLY depends on the situation

if your under 50% disability, and above the poverty level, you have no coverage for anything but service connected disabilities (which I am actually OK with).

If your below the poverty level you have coverage.

Coverage if you don't live near a VA facility was horrible (maybe better now than 10 years ago when I dealt with it). Coverage for certain specialties is bad, etc.

I know my brother had half his teeth knocked out while in the Marines, and he has gotten so sick of the VA system he pays cash (no dental insurance) for his dental care -- and he lives 10 minutes away from a VA hospital.

[pbmus]

11. You do not know what you are talking about...

Last edited Thu Jul 28, 2016, 05:19 PM - Edit history (1)

An ankle injury is not paid at 100%

And any medical under 100% has a copay...

[madamvlb]

12. UM...YES I Do.

I get travel Pay! I am not 100%. I get travel pay when I travel for my service connected "disability". I'm not a copy and paste kind of person but here you go....

Reimbursement for mileage or public transportation may be paid to the following:
Veterans with service-connected disabilities rated at 30% or more;
Veterans traveling for treatment of a service-connected condition;
Veterans receiving a VA pension;
Veterans traveling for scheduled compensation or pension examinations;
Veterans whose income does not exceed the maximum VA pension rate;
Mileage Reimbursement Rate: Mileage reimbursement is at 41.5 cents per mile. There is a deductible mileage amount of $3.00 one way and $6.00 per round trip. The deductible is also subject to a monthly cap of $18.00, upon reaching $18.00 in deductibles travel payments made for the remainder of that month will be free of deductible charges.The deductible mileage reimbursement can be waived if you are:
in receipt of a VA pension
traveling for a scheduled compensation and pension examination
meet certain income levels.


If you need help with your claim go to your nearest DAV they will fight for you.

[tazkcmo]

13. Maybe you should tell the VA.

That twisted ankle veteran does not receive any medical benefits besides the privilege of paying full price for their medical care at the VA and an annual check up where you don't get lab results or results of any tests. Thank you for your service.

[madamvlb]

14. Seriously.

You have online access to ALL records. It's called www.myhealthva.gov. Lab results are posted 24 after being drawn. I don't understand where your getting your information. There is also secure messaging on the website that you can contact all of your providers and they have to respond within 24 hours. If I have a problem or I'm not feeling well I write my doctor or her nurse a note, they usually call me within a few hours.

[Stryst]

7. My experience with the VA has been entirly negative.

I suffered several strong electrical shocks, was exposed to high levels of radiation, and many, many toxic chemicals. Including DU dust.

The VA says that my neurological conditions are not their responsibility, because the entire last year of my service when I started experiencing problems, every doctor I saw in the Air Force wrote either "heat stroke" or "stress" when I started having seizures.

And for my psychological problems? A guy walked in, fifteen minutes late and eating a sandwich, and asked me "Do you feel that you're mentally ill?" And I said, "I don't know. Maybe, but I can function." So that was that. Everything I saw and did, all the nightmares and inability to really have relationships... Not the VA's responsibility!

You want to fix the VA? Quit hiring doctors who don't give a shit, or never served and don't understand what we're going through. Make our checks more than a pittance. Allow VA doctors and records to be used by Social Security for getting disability. (Which itself is less than half the poverty line for most recipients).

[midnight]

15. This problem with doctors not caring is a problem… I only hope that more respect to choose a doc.

will help in this area...

[bucolic_frolic]

3. Will Trump discuss his personal Vietnam?

Give a lecture on STD's?